Ruff House Rescue is a very caring group of dedicated animal lovers who open their homes and hearts to abandon animals showing them the love and compassion they so desperately need. Anyone who is looking to make the world a little better can do so by rescuing one of the pups that RHR fosters. Saving animals is not easy for those who volunteer but is worth every minute when they can connect a needy pup with their forever home. Earlier this year we wanted to help out and adopt a pup that needed a home. So we filled out the RHR application and then went through an extensive phone and home video interview and inspection. Everyone involved in the vetting process was very professional. We were impressed at how detailed they were to make sure that if we were approved our home would be safe and welcoming to one of their charges. If every rescue did what RHR does there is no doubt in our minds that every dog placed would end up in great forever homes. Originally, we were interested in a dachshund/poodle mix but had to pass on her because we were not feeling well to bring her home. A few weeks later we went to a RHR foster home to meet a few potential pups. Our original intention was to adopt a similar pup to the one we had to pass on and decided to trial foster a totally different pup who is a chihuahua/rat terrier mix from Korea who was very shy and not very interested in us. From the moment we adopted Ozzy we kept in contact with RHR via multiple texts, photos and videos to keep everyone in the loop as he slowly came out of his shell. It took a few weeks for Ozzy to want to fully explore our home and fenced in yard. Then a few more weeks until he found his voice and proved to us, yes he can bark, especially when we were, in his mind, taking a bit too long to cook his eggs for breakfast. Now a few months later he is part of the family, enjoying playing with his brothers and sisters, keeping up with them and showing that he is truly one of the gang. So if you want to help a pup in need and support the gallant efforts of the RHR organization we would highly recommend that you do so. As a former board member of an Animal Rescue in Massachusetts I can say that this organization truly deserves the support of any animal lover who wants to make a difference by adopting one of their wonderful pups. read more

Ruff House Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me

I am very disappointed with my experience with Ruff House Rescue. I adopted a Great Dane puppy and had concerns about having her spayed at only 17 weeks old due to her young age and giant breed size. My veterinarian advised that spaying her this young was not safe and strongly recommended waiting until she was older. When I brought these concerns to the rescue, I was met with rude, dismissive, and intimidating responses. Rather than having a respectful discussion about my veterinarian's recommendations, I was repeatedly told I would be in breach of contract and would never have licensure of my puppy if I did not follow their timeline. The emails I received were hostile and unprofessional, especially considering I was simply trying to advocate for my puppy's health. I understand rescues have policies, but there should be room for reasonable consideration when a licensed veterinarian raises concerns. The way I was treated left me feeling disrespected and unsupported. I have adopted many puppies and animals from other rescues in the past and have never had an experience remotely close to this. I would encourage anyone considering adopting from this rescue to carefully review their requirements and be aware of how medical concerns and adoption procedures may be handled. read more

Ruffhouse has the sweetest puppies They are so well taken care of , loving and so ready for a foster or a forever home If you want a forever friend or wonderful Christmas present please check out the adoptable on the ruffhouse website They are not just dogs they are what's missing in your family Please please check them Out & consider a adoption or even a foster you won't regret it read more

Ruff House Rescue Rocks Amazing experience fostering and Foster failing / Adopting our lil female Chihuahua Savanah! Diane and team are a top notch Rescue team. We watched 7-8 different families adopting and picking up new foster babies We had witnessed a full team effort and very organized group. Ruff fully checked my creds, ref, even came for physical inspection of home! My vet was contacted so Yes a through review where all Fur babies end up Great Job helping us out for our next Lil furry adventure! Ruff House to the Rescue Tom n Mary Holbrook 3-18-25 read more

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Adopted 3 dogs from them over the last 15 years.....amazing volunteers, beautiful dogs and a wonderful Director! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!!

Best way to find your furever friend. we volunteered to foster and it was a great experience! So great, that we went back for more!

So in early October, my boyfriend and were looking to adopt a dog. One of my coworkers who volunteers at Ruff House recommended me to look here and also my boss adopted from here as well. We looked online and on their Instagram to see what dogs they have available and filled out an application. The process: within 48 hours we were contacted by a volunteer who conducted a phone interview asking about our home life, jobs and experience. As first time potential dog owners, I was nervous and had a bunch of questions that were answered. After that a home volunteer came later that week to check if our home was safe and asked where the dog would sleep. After that, we were invited to come to Petco in Levittown to check our dogs. We found one that we like but we were going away on vacation - but they don't hold dogs. It kind of was a little hectic to figure out who was going to be at Petco and which dogs we wanted to meet to make sure they were there. The events are only held at Petco in Levittown on weekends because the shelter is way too small. Adoption day: we wanted to meet 2 dogs on Saturday and reached out to the adoption counselor that morning and she was unsure if they were going to be there. So I've learned it's better to ask beforehand or just go to the event with an open mind. The dog we were hoping to meet was adopted right before we got there so I was bummed. My boyfriend really liked one dog who was in her crate and I was hesitant. They offered us to take the dog out of the crate with a volunteer to see how she was in a situation that was too crazy with all the other dogs and tons of people. She was snuggly instant and just wanted to be loved. I'm glad we came with an open mind and ended up adopting a dog who wasn't on our radar. We were required to buy a collar and a double side tag there. We also weren't told how to pay before the event but luckily they took Venmo. You can pay with cash or credit card with an addition fee. Thank you Ruff House for bringing us Stormie! My one piece of advice is don't be so fixated or fall in love with a picture. Go to the event with an open mind and find the connection and the right fit for you and your family! read more

Ruff House Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me

friendly dogs and staff. you can see they are well taken care of. volunteers were very helpful in helping us find our dog

This is a follow up to my previous review.. I took Ruff House to court for my adoption fees and for charging me for neutering a dog who was already paid for by the previous adopter who returned him after a week Ruff house did not show up in court. I received a judgment in my favor.. which Ruff House has not paid.. 3 months. Please stay away from this rescue!!! read more

Ruff House Rescue NY is NOT real rescue. Let me enlighten you. My parents and I drove from PA to LI to adopt a basset hound named Rusty, I'm sure he's known to most of you since he was returned so many times. Sadly, his story was NOT known to my family. We were never told how many people he had bit, the true reasons he had been returned, and the "serious health issues," that Ruff House ignored. What we were told was that Rusty had resource guarding, was sent to board and train, and could thrive in a home like my parents. We were NEVER informed that he could not be returned to the rescue if he bit/attacked my parents (that there was any reason to believe he would do that) or that they were his last shot--until 24 hours after he was in my parent's home (which by the way I DO NOT live in and haven't lived in since 2005). More lies from Ruff House volunteers and staff. He bit my father for the first time not even 24 hours after coming to their home and proceeded to bite my mom, my dad, my husband, and my pitbull since that day at least 15+ total. Bonnie Zarillo said he couldn't come back into the rescue and that we should euthanize him if we couldn't "handle him." Thanks for that wonderful, helpful advice! Nevermind that my parents have been to the ER and on antibiotics due to bites. Never mind that they lied and left out important information. Never mind that this dog NEVER should have been adopted and if he was going to be, he never should have gone to my parents. They knew there was a grandchild, they knew my parents were elderly, and they knew there was another dog who visited the home. They didn't care about anyone's safety. They wanted to unload a dangerous dog. See Prior ads for the dog, which are attached. Also, please note: Rusty the 30lb basset who gained 30lbs since residing with my parents in less than a year. Where are your donations going? Not to feeding animals. I'm a huge dog lover and rescue advocate, but Ruff House is NOT real rescue. The dogs in this rescue NEED rescue. Do not adopt from this organization unless you want to deal with a sick dog with behavioral issues that you can't return. You will be left with heartache and they could care less. Educate yourself to the horror that was Kentucky and IS Texas and where the dogs come from. This is NOT rescue this is fraud and their director is the ring leader. read more

BUYER BEWARE* Not quite what we hoped for to be honest, so me and my wife along with our 4 year old daughter brought home a puppy (5 month old) so they say, their descriptions are not correct, the ad also said 8lbs he was 20lbs we had him weighed, we went and met him on a Saturday and we took him home, while we were there we noticed he had a bit of limp on his back left leg, they told us it was from the neuter surgery he had and it would go away, well fast forward a few days and it got worse he could barely walk on it but that's not why we brought him back, he just turned out not to be the correct dog for our family, he showed aggression towards me and our daughter but not my wife which is ok he was protective and I get it , so we ended up bringing him back again he just was not the right puppy for us, I was told we could look at other dogs and that our 630$ fee was transferable to another pup, so we were looking and they have some golden retriever/lab mixes we were interested in when we saw them on an instagram story they posted , 3-4 month old (not much different from the age of theone we brought home, but a bigger size dog with aggression is completely different from a smaller puppy nibble from playing) well now I'm being told the owner thinks that a younger puppy is not for us which is not the case, we want a smaller puppy to be able to play and grow up with our daughter in a happy forever home, the owner is basically acting as if she knows what's best for our family, meanwhile my wife has had dogs her whole life and my daughter knows the rights and wrongs of being around one, and we are basically being forced to only see dogs they want us to see, I have reached out to the owner and what a shocker no response, so now we are out of a dog and I am out of 630$ for the dog plus everything we bought to give the dog a happy and healthy home all in all around 1100-1300$ on food toys a bed etc. I would highly highly recommend looking for a dog somewhere else, the one we took home did not bite but he was very aggressive towards our kid, he would snarl and bark at her when she would do simple things as walk by,he was just not meant for kids, and of course they put him back up on their website without the proper information! anyone being a parent would have had some concerns themself, something just did not sit right with us, as you can see from these messages, as anyone knows this isn't like buying a piece of candy, you are looking to pick and choose a dog that best suites your family and life! This is also not the owner I am speaking with I don't know her name but through the messages back and forth she has been great and I understand she is just relaying the messages, which another thing the owner herself should have reached out but hasn't and won't, don't be like us and ignore the bad reviews, do not give this place your time or money read more

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This is THE WORST "rescue" I have ever interacted with. I honestly believe my dog needed to be rescued FROM Ruff House, as he received no medical attention despite having a host of health issues including worms (which they lied and told me was "indigestion"). He was not neutered, despite the HEFTY adoption fee (which they raised another $100 at the time of adoption), and I never received my "neuter deposit" back despite my extensive efforts to get it. After paying a fortune in vet costs for my dog's recovery, I was also told by my vet that the vaccination certificates provided by Ruff House were bogus!! When I asked why the adoption fee was so high (especially since RHR provided no basic vet care services), they told me if I didn't want to pay that much, "there will be someone else who will", without offering any justification for what the fee covers. They also require you to buy a collar and leash from them, since this organization is ONLY concerned about getting money from you. They don't even come close to meeting the standards of an average pet rescue, much less their own absurd adoption contract. Even worse than the horribly disorganized adoption events, the warehouse they keep the dogs in (which I visited when I picked up my dog as he was too ill to attend the adoption event) is absolutely filthy, deafeningly loud, and would be traumatizing for anyone in there. Bordering on mistreatment, the facility confirms for me that Diane (the unpleasant owner) and Ruff House ultimately care more about money than the wellbeing of these dogs. I, as well as many other reviewers here, was on the receiving end of many of their condescending and disrespectful comments even up to the time of signing the adoption paperwork, and while many of those working for Ruff House believe they are well-intentioned, these swindlers don't care about you or the dogs. read more

Diane sent me a text last night. responded and she immediately blocked me. So I figured I'd post the text message here! Hi Diane. Thanks for checking in on the two dogs we bought from you. Yes bought for $922.I submitted an application for a lab mix I saw online. I never heard back. A month later I saw another dog posted. I asked if you were behind on applications I was waiting to hear back another dog. Lance. He wasn't adopted. I filled out another application. Lance had heartworm. Someone came to our house to do a home visit. Walked all around my house and wanted to know if I was hiding any pets upstairs? Umm, no? Huh? Kicked my fence, video recorded us told us the food we have to feed a dog. Also asked us about our vet that we use. She knew the vet and said I should really go to yelp and look them up. I mean, your yelp reviews are all amazing! Right? Tells us to get all of this done. Tonight. There's an adoption even the following day. We fixed whatever she wanted us to fix. Showed her it was done but she didn't really seem to care. The next day we go to the adoption event. A volunteer greets us. I tell them the two dogs were interested in. When I spoke to the person on instagram I advised that I may be interested in taking both dogs. The volunteer tells me these two dogs don't get along. She's surprised that I'm surprised. No one told us they don't get along. They take them out and they seem to get along. We are sent home with two dogs that day to foster. A teenage volunteer mentions how she's glad. That Lance is going home. He was bought and returned once. I should have listened to this red flag. I asked why? She said the people said he went after their child. But you know we don't believe them. They just didn't want the responsibility of having a dog and changed their mind. She mentioned it to another volunteer who seemed annoyed that she would tell us this information but confirmed those people were lying. The one dog hadn't been seen by a vet yet. I'm surprised he was fostered out without seeing a vet. He was marked as not neutered. He was clearly neutered. I have to make an appointment for his 4DX. He ended up having heart worm as well. He wasn't neutered. But that had to wait until after his heartworm treatment. When the one dog was on Doxycycline he got terrible diarrhea. We had to sleep on the couch so we could let him out every 2 hours. And sometimes he didn't make it. So we were cleaning up poop all the time around the house. I felt absolutely awful for him. I kept contacting the foster phone for medicine for him. Finally, after a week I was given medication. Which I had to go pick up myself. A week! A couple of months go by and the lab mix, Lance starts growling and showing his teeth at my husband. He was not able to go by him. I contact Ruffhouse who tells me he has no history of that. He obviously does. We were told about it. I was contacted everyday that I needed to adopt them. I was hesitant to adopt Lance because of the issue with my husband that day. But I did love them so we adopted them. One day, I came home from work. Let Lance out. A couple of hours later I let him out again. He completely turned on me. Snarled growled and showed his teeth to me. Chased me for the back door. I was corned inside my house. I was able to squeeze myself into my bathroom and slam the door shut. I contacted every phone # I had for Ruffhouse. The foster # I was blocked (my friend lives in Las Vegas and was able to call and get right through). Everyone said someone would call me back. No one did. The following day I called Ruffhouse every hour on the hour hysterically crying. This was so devastating to me. But I needed help and I was no longer comfortable keeping Lance and having him in my home. I signed a contract that I couldn't rehome or bring him to a shelter. So I needed someone from Ruffhouse to get him. 24 hours I was ignored. Again I could not keep him. I was no longer comfortable. The person who kept answering my phone call each time told me someone will call me back. Finally at 6 pm I spoke with my vet. I explained the situation. He called Ruffhouse himself to see if anyone wanted to take this dog back and he was told "we spoke with the family" No one spoke to me. I was ignored!!!! The vet explained that if I was not comfortable and if I was nervous that if he did go back to Ruffhouse they would turn around and adopt him out again, the best decision would be to unfortunately have him put to sleep. With tears streaming down my face I held him while he took his last breath.i could never forgive myself if Lance mauled a child. And I wanted his ashes anyway. I loved him. TWO DAYS later I get an email from Joanne Tully saying Diane had asked her to contact me and ask how she can help me. Two days later! I have asked for my $150 neuter deposit back and have also been ignored. I had to cut a lot out of this to make it fit. read more

Ruff House Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me

My fiancé and I had an amazing experience with Jodie from Ruff House rescue. We applied to many dogs from many organizations and did not hear from anyone and thought we might have to do another round of applications in hope of getting a dog. We then got a call from Jodie following up on our application for Cutes (now Archie) we had done two weeks earlier, she had recently brought him home from Ruff House to her home as her new foster pup. She reviewed our application, and spent time getting to know us over the phone. We all felt we were a good match for Cutes but we would not know until we could meet. She invited us to her home and was clear that we were not committing to the dog and we could spend as much time playing with him in her office as we needed to make our decision. You could see how much Jodie loves dogs, she had a senior foster in addition to two dogs of her own in her home. They were all happy, healthy and extremely loved. We loved getting to know Jodie and hearing how Cutes was her 70th foster over 7 years. She told us to keep in touch and we have sending updates and photos over this first week. We are madly in love with Archie and couldn't be more grateful to Ruff House and Jodie for picking us to be his parents. read more

Ruff House Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me

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We cannot thank Ruff House Rescue enough for matching us with our new adoptee Yem (previously Lilo). We had a size requirement because of our apartment building. Ruff House Rescue volunteers thoughtfully guided us to find a dog that fit this specification. I love how they try to match the right dog with your family's needs. They were extremely responsive. Once we were approved to adopt, the process moved really fast. If anyone is getting antsy post submitting the application, I implore you to be patient! It will happen! I found that they have many more dogs for adoption than other rescue orgs in the area, which is a large reason why I would suggest adopting with them. Thank you Ruff House Rescue! read more

Ruff House Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me

Rude and overwhelmed staff. it's sad. Too many dogs and not enough help for helping them

Thanks to Ruff House Rescue rescuing Scout from the streets in Texas, we have a new little bundle of joy in our lives. They made the adoption process smooth and easy. They covered all the important details and answered all the additional questions i had even post adoption. They made all his medical history easily available on an app which makes things much easier when having to make vet appointments. We couldn't be more grateful to RHR for allowing us to be Scouts new family. Thank you guys read more

Ruff House Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me

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A friend recommended this place so a few of us came to volunteer. The location is lovely and very relaxing so walking dogs around this neighborhood can be a treat. As for the dogs, they seem to be treated very well considering their circumstances and the amount of dog space that this place can hold. Their shelter and dogs also seem pretty clean, organized and not over crowded. My only suggestion though are the staff. They're a bit rough and not very friendly. They also don't communicate very well when we arrived and had us waiting around for a while before telling us what to do. Though the rewards for helping and volunteering is always priceless so if I have to deal with human personalities then so be it. Their dogs are definitely a treat. Super cute and will definitely put a smile to your face so yeah give this place a change, check them out and help out if you can!! read more

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I took the time to write a thoughtful email inquiring about a senior dog who has been waiting a long time with this rescue. It's a shame I never received a response. I know rescues are likely getting bombarded with inquiries, but it takes one minute to reply. I volunteer with another rescue, and there is no excuse for not getting back to a potential adopter. read more

IF YOU'RE A PERSON OF COLOR AVOID. I rarely ever write Yelp review and for me to do so for a pet shelter is unexpected. I applied for a puppy yesterday and at 10 PM at night I received an odd e-mail about me not being eligible due to covid and my location. Please note the screen shot that I'm about a 10 minute drive from this shelter. This shelter asks for your social media information and, as I have nothing to hide, gladly shared it with them. To my surprise my Instagram account is blocked from this page. It's unfortunate that an organization would use the pandemic as a shield for racism. In between cleaning up cat urine, I hope whoever made this decision reflects on their discriminating practices. read more

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We recently adopted Molly (formerly J.J.) from Ruff House Rescue and we couldn't be happier! These are some great volunteers who really care about these dogs. We had not been having luck finding a pup because nobody was getting back to us. RH responded quickly and Jessica, my matchmaker took some time to get to know us. Our home visit was done by Susan, who was wonderful and recommended we see J.J. , and Jessica agreed and set it up. We fell in love immediately and the rest is history I am truly grateful to RH for putting us together with Molly. read more

Ruff House Rescue - Great organization to adopt from!! - Pet Adoption Near Me

They sent home a sick dog with my parents, he was hand shy and intact. They promised they would take the medical fees off the adoption fee and they did not. The adoption fee was $500 and they would not take off the cost of the neuter which i had to have done. What kind of rescue will send out intact dogs or not at least reimburse the neuter!!!!!! read more

My partner and I adopted our dog from Ruff House. Like most prospective adopters, we researched and contacted a number of rescues. This took place during the pandemic, and most rescues seemed strained or overwhelmed. Ruff House was the one that was the most responsive at the time. Our coordinator was great and we were approved almost immediately after application. I've noticed that most of the reviews here are either four/five stars or one star, and that the one-star reviews are mostly from people who were not approved as adopters. This doesn't seem very fair. It's important to note that rescues have to screen potential adopters somehow, and each probably has slightly different criteria. We were not approved by every rescue we applied at -for the record we live in Manhattan, both work full-time, and have no fenced yard and no kids- and from others we didn't receive a response at all. It's worth trying more than one. We ended up choosing a dog at the first adoption event we attended. The event itself was a bit disorganized, but I think that is to be expected, especially these days. Despite this, it's clear that Ruff House's volunteers are tremendously dedicated to their cause and work hard to make these adoptions happen. We met a couple of dogs in the age and size range we were looking for, and then had a very limited amount of time to decide whether we wanted to take one of them. Adopting a dog is apparently very similar to shopping for a NYC apartment: if you see something you think you like, you need to make a move on it before someone else does. It felt a bit high-pressure at the time, but we made a great choice and are in love with our little girl. The adoption fees came out to somewhere around $600, which some people seem to think is expensive, but which we thought was totally reasonable given the amount of time and money it takes to vet, transport, feed, and house these dogs. The higher adoption fee may also serve as another level of screening: If you're serious about committing to a pet and financially able to provide it with proper nutrition and health care, a $600 adoption fee isn't going to scare you off. read more

This is the review I didn't want to leave, but here we are. As lifelong believers in pet adoption and rescue, we had recently been thinking we wanted to open our home to one more dog and save another life, and began our search for another calm, sweet dog. We fell in love with a dog on the Ruffhouse site (I'll call her V) as soon as we saw her and read her bio. I spoke with a volunteer who said Volpe "did great with kids the other day, Is playing and completely fine, soft cuddly kid dog friendly," and it sounded like she'd be perfect for us. After meeting V we were ready and excited to adopt her.  Unfortunately, the morning after bringing V home, she nipped at my 1-year-old son as he was standing still (completely unprovoked). I immediately contacted the volunteer and sent her a video of what was happening to let her know that this was a non-negotiable for us and we could not keep the dog. She was completely understanding and started searching for a placement for V right away. A bit later, my 3-year-old daughter was gently sliding over a toy to V, and she lunged for my daughter's hand. I put a baby gate up to keep V in the kitchen. After that, while in the next room, my son was running beside me. V got past the gate and bit my son's arm. She did not break skin, but it scared my kids and myself and I panicked. I called the volunteer hysterical crying, my son screaming in my arms, and told her the dog needed to be replaced immediately. Again the volunteer was incredibly kind and supportive, and told me to bring V to her house. Ultimately the plan evolved and V went back with her foster. The volunteer said she was not in charge of refunds and the director would ultimately decide if we would get our adoption fee back, but she assured us she supported us and would have our backs as these were extenuating circumstances that no one predicted. After 3 emails and numerous texts to the volunteer over the course of 2 weeks, I finally got a response from the director that there were no refunds as per the adoption contract, but they could help us find a better fit. Obviously we do not want another dog right now after this traumatizing incident. This dog should not have been adopted to a family with two toddlers. Since no one could have foreseen the dog's herding behavior, we had hoped the rescue would refund our adoption fee, but no. It is not in the dog's best interest or ours for us to keep a dog who is nipping and biting children. Of course we know there is a contract so that people don't return dogs simply because they've changed their mind, but our 1 YEAR OLD SON WAS BIT. If Ruffhouse refuses to refund our $530 ($30 of which were for a collar and leash we no longer have), then all I can do is share our story in the hopes that no other family goes through this same experience. read more

I can't even begin to explain how ruff house rescue has changed my life. We had a 17 year old dog that passed and we were broken hearted and we knew we needed a dog to love again very soon. I contacted ruff house rescue and spoke with Victoria who started working on the perfect match for my husband and I. We were looking for a small dog so that I could bring him/her to work with me. Someone that would be my little buddy to love and snuggle and have in my life for many years to come. She found us exactly the perfect pup. He's warms my heart so much and I truly can't thank them enough. read more

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In June we adopted Romeo FKA LL Cool J from ruff house. Joining Russell who we adopted in March 2011. Ruff House is run by volunteers who take their time to screen applications and make sure the dogs are going to good homes. read more

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We just adopted our newest family member from Ruff House. This was our first time adopting a dog, so we had no idea what to expect. All of the amazing volunteers made the process so easy and exciting. Everyone that we encountered was professional, knowledgeable and it was always clear that the animals' best interest was at heart. We are absolutely in love with our new fur baby and we have Ruff House to thank! I would highly recommend Ruff House Rescue. read more

Ruff House Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me

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Let me first start off with the fact that Melissa and her team are absolutely incredible. My fiancé and I have been looking to rescue a dog for over a year, and for other reasons, we never able to go through with it. Flash forward to about a month or so ago when I went to go look at their puppies, but got a little "spooked" (my fiancé and I agreed that we wanted a one year or roller dog), and was about to leave. I decided to take a quick look around at the crates and kennels, and then I saw "Thad" at the very end of the line. He was quiet and friendly, only barking ONCE over the course of six hours. Yes, I fell in love with him and waited for my application to go through, just to make sure I walked away with him that day. The Ruff House team was BEYOND accommodating and friendly, working with me on the paperwork and reference calls. Thankfully, my fiancé showed up after work, and when he came we got the news that we can bring him home with us. Flash forward to now, "Thad" is now renamed as Finn and WE ADORE HIM ENDLESSLY! He came into our home with such ease, basically already potty trained, and he LOVES EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING. We never have any fear or doubt taking him out with us wherever we go. He LOVES cuddling and kisses, and he sleeps with us every night - WITH NO ACCIDENTS OR ANYTHING WHATSOEVER. Not to mention Finn is incredible with dogs of all sizes and has never shown us any aggression. Finn is also BRILLIANT! He's learned 10 commands in about a month, which we are beyond proud of. He did have a bit of a bug after we got him, but after going to our vet and notifying Ruff House, they were quick to respond. They sent medication in the mail, and kept up with email correspondence to check up on him. Finn has been such a blessing to us, and we couldn't imagine our life now without him. This past month has been so trying for us, and Finn has taken all of the ache and stress away just by greeting us when we get home. If you have any urge or inclination in adding a fur baby to your home, please rescue from Ruff House. We are so thankful that we've worked with them while getting our new baby. WE LOVE YOU RUFF HOUSE! read more

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We adopted Elmo now named Odin a few weeks ago from Ruff house rescue and the whole experience from start to finish was amazing. You can tell they truly care about their animals, and put them into the best household for the dog. They are also all some of the nicest people you will meet. They truly go above and beyond to make sure not only the dog but also the owners are comfortable and transitioning well. Even though we only adopted Odin a couple of weeks ago it feels like we have had him forever. He fits perfectly into our lives and we love his so much!!! Love, The Schneider's read more

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My wife and I cannot say enough good things about Ruff House rescue!! First off, Bridget reached out to us shortly after we submitted our application, she was kind, patient and unwavering in her efforts to find us the perfect dog. Her communication was spot on and answered us every time we texted her (which was a lot). In just a couple of weeks, she introduced us to our boy, Finnegan, formally known as Camin. We had such a wonderful experience at the adoption event. All of the volunteers were so helpful and friendly. Please do yourself a favor and adopt not shop!! Ruff House is the BEST!!!! read more

Ruff House Rescue - This is Finnegan!!!!!! - Pet Adoption Near Me

I had such an amazing experience adopting my fur baby Max! The application process was simple and easy and they responded to me quickly. The woman who came to inspect my house was very friendly. Rachael who helped me through the whole process was informative and friendly and did everything to help the process go smoothly. The fosters who had my fur baby were amazing and loving and even checked up after the process to make sure everyone was happy. I can't say enough good things about ruff house! They made sure Biggs the dogs and family were happy. Thank you ruff house for blessing me with my fur baby To all the people working for ruff house rescue who give up their time to help the dogs find the forever homes... THANK YOU! read more

I've been hesitant to post this review but I honestly feel the need to get my story out there. In the beginning, everything went well with Ruff House. I was working with a sweet woman named Karen, via telephone, who was helping me get more info about adoptable dogs. She responded quickly, was professional and sweet. I was interested in this one pup and went to see her at one of their adoption events as they DO NOT have a shelter you can go visit and look around. You are only able to go to their events which take place on the weekends. There is no room you can go meet the dog in, you can only take the dog for a walk around the store. That's not a fair way of meeting a dog and seeing if they would be a good fit for the dog. Anyway, I went to the Petco in Levittown to go see the dog I was interested in and things went OK. The dog was A LOT bigger than she looked online and I had brought my dog with me so they can meet one another (which is a must if you adopt a dog.) Honestly, I was far more interested in the dog than my boyfriend was. It was his first dog and I could tell he wasn't "feeling" this dog. The woman who sits at the table at the events, unsure of her name, called the woman Pat who is in charge of fostering to see if we would be eligible to see if we could do a 24 hour foster so see if this dog would be a good fit in the long run. Now we know that 24 hours is NOT a fair enough time to give a dog chance to fit into the family, but we were granted the 24 hour stay by Pat. We filled out some paperwork and brought this dog home to see if it would work. As soon as we got home, she was all over my dog and being a little too aggressive with him. She was twice his size and she was far more interested in my other dog than she was with us. She showed 0 affection to my boyfriend and I and all she wanted to do was wrestle with my dog. Now it being that this would be my boyfriends first official dog, he wasn't interested. He knew this wasn't "the dog" we've been searching for. I texted Karen that night to give her the update that things weren't going well. She told me that dogs need time to adjust and it takes a month or two. We only had about 16 hours left with the dog to make the decision. All night long, the new dog was continuously all over my dog and my dog was seriously fed up. Sadly, we knew this wasn't going to work out. I brought this pup back to the Petco where they were having the adoption event for the second day and it seriously sucked because I was embarrassed to bring this dog back but also because it sucked only trying the dog out for 24 hours. I was crying when I handed her over to the same woman who was sitting at the table and Pat. It looked like Pat was understanding but the woman at the table was annoyed. A few days later I reached out to Karen and told her the bad news about the dog and I mentioned a few other dogs I was interested in coming to look at that were a lot smaller than the other pup. She took a while to get back to me but ended up saying "I'll call you tomorrow." Which I didn't think anything of, so I replied "okay". That was the last time I heard from Karen. The next day I received a phone call from the nastiest human being I've ever spoken to. I would post her name but then my post would be deleted and I need people to see this post before they deal with Ruff House. If there's an option to private message me, I have no problem telling you all about this horrible and nauseating human being. She calls me and tells me that Ruff House will no longer deal with my boyfriend and I due to the fact that we "are unfit" and "not ready to have a dog". (I have two dogs, my parents have a dog, my brother has two dogs, etc. Don't tell me I'm not ready for a dog when my life revolves around them.) The unpleasant woman continues to tell me that it was unfair we returned the dog within 24 hours. I told her we had authorization for a 24 hour stay and she asked "who granted you that". So obviously she didn't know what she was talking about and thought I had adopted the dog and brought her back the next day when I really fostered her for 24 hours. She continuously told me how I wasn't prepared and ready for this commitment and she told me she was calling as per the director of the shelter, Diane. I asked to have Diane call me so I could clear the air with her and continue with my adoption but I never heard from Diane. This was my experience with Ruff House and I will forever retain people I know from going there due to the fact they gave me authorization to try out a dog for one day and then penalized me for bringing the dog back. The way the nasty woman spoke to me on the phone was so unprofessional and how she is still working for them blows my mind. In the end, when adopting the RIGHT dog, this isn't the place to go to. *Duplicate* read more

Disrespectful, Inconsistent and Unprofessional This negative review is in response to our experience after being approved by this organization to adopt a dog. On a positive note, I do believe that many of the volunteers are pleasant, well-meaning and give their time because they truly care about rescuing the dogs. Hence the 2 stars rather than 1. Application process: After completing an application, being phone interviewed and having my home inspected, I had given the same detailed information repeatedly regarding what we were looking for and how we would care for and exercise a dog. Yet, these questions were asked over and over again throughout the process. Being that organizations like these are non-profit and rely on volunteers for their operations, I understand if their processes are not the most streamlined. So this was annoying, but tolerable. Before attending our first adoption event, I informed my adoption coordinator about the dogs my family was interested in. First adoption event: We ended up meeting 3 dogs. We really liked dog 1, but it turned out that he needed hip surgery so we needed to think it over. After the first adoption event: I inquired about the specifics of the surgery and did research to better understand the situation. I spoke with two different volunteers about this who both suggested dog 2 as an alternative. We decided that dog 1 would not be right for us. Since our meeting with dog 2 had been cut short due to inclement weather, we wanted to meet her again. Our adoption coordinator then informed me that someone in the organization thought that dog 2 was not a good fit for us, but if we had our heart set on meeting dog 2, we still could. We respected their perspective and experience, but even in the short meeting we had, we felt a connection with dog 2 that we wanted to explore further. She also suggested other dogs that they deemed a better fit. Wanting to keep an open mind, I agreed that we'd meet one of their suggested dogs (call her dog 3) in addition to dog 2. We understood that dog 2 could be adopted by someone with an earlier appointment at the next adoption event. Second adoption event: We were excited to see that dog 2 was still there and had not been adopted yet. The volunteer helping us said that dog 2 was available for us to meet and that she would bring her out first. However, she emerged from the van with dog 3. I thought nothing of this at the time, but later on this seemed like it was intentional. After we returned from a walk with dog 3. we were ready to meet dog 2. However, we were told again that they did not deem dog 2 a good fit for us. However, they had allowed us to schedule a meeting with this dog at our first adoption event and this one. Our adoption coordinator even said that she thought dog 2 was a better fit for us than dog 1. Why the mixed messages and why were we allowed to meet this dog in the first place if they didn't think she was right for us? We had made this trip expecting to meet dog 2 but then we were denied the opportunity altogether. To add insult to injury, the director joined the conversation but was extremely rude and unprofessional. She made zero eye contact with us, and made snide comments, pressuring us into taking dog 3 like, "We are wrapping up. What color leash do you want so I can take it off the van" and "You know you have to walk it three times a day, in the rain, snow...". All these comments were made with disrespect and condescension. My family and I are responsible and respectful people and we were disappointed by how our time was wasted and insulted by the way the director treated us. There is no way I would pay an adoption fee to support an organization that treated me and my family this way. I am certain that there are far better organizations to deal with and we will be looking elsewhere to rescue a dog. read more

I highly recommend Ruff House Rescue. We adopted both our dogs through them and could not be happier. The staff does an amazing job caring for their rescues and and they worked closely with us to assure we got the great boys that are now part of our family. read more

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I rescued Milo (f.k.a Vince) 5 months ago & I am soooo grateful for RHR & all the work they do. They do a phone interview, house visit and then set you up to meet dogs you are interested in. It is a first come basis, so if you're a interested in a dog on their website schedule an appointment asap with your application person! The dogs go fast but they do get in a ton that all need loving homes. read more

Ruff House Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me

I can't say enough on how amazing and helpful Rough House is. We just came home with are new fur baby and he is awesome. They were so helpful in finding the right dog and were so nice in the process. I recommend to everyone that they should use this rescue. read more

Ruff House Rescue - Clapton - Pet Adoption Near Me

Great adoption experience. I got the sense that these guys really care about their animals and where they end up. They are thorough. That means they have a written application and have an "investigator" contact you and ask follow up questions. They call your references. They meet you and visit your home. This is for your benefit as well as the animals. They host adoption events. There were plenty of animals and people there - don't be overwhelmed by the noise. You get to spend as much time as you need bonding with your prospective animal and they are with you all the way to make sure things seem like a good fit. As far as the dog we got... he is an absolute gem. You can tell he was well cared for and loved despite not being fostered and being with them for over 5 months. He was clearly socialized and in great health. I've heard people talk about rescuing a dog as if you're going to get some crazed dog that is going to have major issues. This was not the case with our dog or any of the animals I saw at the adoption event. read more

I won't boar readers with details just a warning stay away from this group of overzealous rescuers

I went initially to just look at a dog with the idea I might adopt. I was told over the phone that the dog had "just been released by the vet to leave the facility" as long as the people who took the dog knew it had been treated for Parvovirus. I got there and basically didn't have a chance to say no; before I knew it, I was signing papers for adoption. I asked where the dog came from and was told - Texas. I wanted all the medical records to show my vet but was refused, I was told only if I should adopt, then I could get the records from where the dog had been treated. When I took took the dog home, I was given some medications that had just been placed in baggies, not even in pill bottles and instructions were put on a scratch paper, not even written on the instruction sheet. I was told if any problems occurred, to notify them and they also gave me a sheet with their vet's name. I learned that one couldn't deal with the vet but had to go thru Ruff House. I also learned that the vet that was listed, wasn't going to be there and that the practice and building was going to be sold. The other reason I wanted to be able to contact the vet directly was because trying to reach Ruff House on the phone was almost impossible. As far as medications concerned, I was also given a medication in a squeeze tube, which wasn't for my dog, and when I did call the shelter, all they could say is they were sorry. If I followed the instructions for that particular medication, I would have been putting it in the dog's ears which was not indicated. After many months, I did take the dog to my vet and when I learned the dog was healthy, I decided to adopt. I notified Ruff House and was given the address of a private home to sign adoption papers, not even the shelter itself. My very first impression of the shelter when I first went was that it was a "hole in the wall" operation. There was no clear markings for the building. When I got out of my car, any windows there were blocked so no one could look in. I went to the front door, not knowing one wasn't allowed into the building and the staff would bring the animal outside to be seen, I opened the door and was immediately hit by the stench emanating from inside the building. I was also told that no one was allowed in. I have adopted dogs before and had been very pleased with the way the facilities appeared as well as the cleanliness of them. Ruff House was a complete disaster compared to the other shelters. I finally decided to adopt the dog, I felt sorry for the animal and it was only at that time was I given anything that vaguely looked like medical records, and it was just 2 pages. read more

Thanks to them I now own a beautiful kitten. The process of adoption was simple. They test for viruses, vaccinate the kittens, and neuter/spay them at a very cheap price! read more

Ruff House Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me